Clothes hanger



Sept. .1963 H. R MiLLIGAN 3,102,668

CLOTHES HANGER Filed April 14, 1961 Q ATTORNEYS tentOfiice 3,102,668 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 3,102,668 v CLOTHES HANGER Harry R. Milligan, 1859 E. 14th Ave, Vancouver 12,

British Columbia, Canada Filed Apr. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 102,998 3 Claims. (c1. 22s-9s This invention relatesto clothes hangers in general, and in particular to a hanger especially adapted to the hanging of trousers, without folding. The hanger in most common usage, a shoulder form, triangular, wire or wooden frame, accommodates either or both a coat and a trouser garment, but hanging the latter involves a manual operation of smoothing the logs into fiat form between what remains of the crease, and folding them double over the cross-bar. From the standpoint of maintaining, improving or restoring the desired degree of neatness in the garment, this method represents a compromise at best, since it utilizes for the most part only a small fraction of the weight of the trousers, itcreates an extra, unwanted crease, and contributes little or nothing tothe cutf region, where much of the severe condition of usage is encountered, as for instance, due to exposure to damp weather, and proximity to the ground.

According to the present invention, a hanger means is provided in which frictional, gripping elements, in pairs, are inserted into the respective leg openings at the cuii ends where they effect a seizure of the legs on a line between the respective creases, by a link action responsive to lifting of the hanger.

It istherefore a general object of the invention to provide a more efficient garment hanger. More particularly, it is an-object to provide a trouser hanger which operates automatically by insertion within the garment openings and lifting. A related object is to provide a hanger as aforesaid wherein the reaction force of the dead weight of the trousers not only serves to grip the garment, but is applied on a line between the respective creases. In still greater particular, it is an object to provide a hanger comprising a linkage which is responsive to lift of the top portion of the hanger to provide a holding grip on the garment.

These and other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, are attained by the present invention, a preferred form of which is described in the (following specification, as illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the hanger, with the cuff ends of trouser legs shown in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the hanger, with its linkage in collapsed condition-prior to use, and viewed from the side opposite to that shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the hanger in expanded position and engaging a trouser garment, the collapsed condition shown in FIGURE "2 being indicated in broken lines, and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the central plane of symmetry of the hanger, taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference,

there is shown a hanger comprising a quadri-lateral linkage, with a pair of main links 10, 1-2, which, in the expanded form of the device, may be likened to the shoulder The inner ends of control links 16,18, are secured in mutually pivoted relation, to complete the quadrilateral linkage, by means of a transversely bent leg 26 on the lower end of a suspending rod 28, of circular cross-section, the leg 26 serving as a pivot pin, and being provided with a keeper head 30 on the opposite side of links 16, 18. Rod 23, which has a crook 32 at its upper end, for engagement with a cross rod or other suspending means, as in a closet, is constrained to an alignment with the central plane of symmetry of the hanger by its slide mounting in a bore 34 in an angle bracket 36, carried by the pivot pin 14 at the apex of the hanger. Rod 28 is also provided with a-iixed flange or collar 38 intermediately of its length, which serves as astop, limiting upward movement of the rod at a position defining the r'ull expansion of the linkage. As clearly seen in FIGURE 3, in this exangle to the links that when the linkage is in expanded condition, the fork units are substantially parallel to rod panded position, the control links 16 have swung slightly above center, which gives a locking action which is proof against minor, accidental disturbances, since it requires apositive application of force downward on pivot leg 26 to unlock, I

p The elements providing the actual contact and gripping engagement with the trouser legs comprise a pair of downwardly depending fork-like units 40, 42 of identical construction, secured, respectively, to the lower ends of links 10and 12 by pairs of rivets 44, and arranged at such an 28, as seen in FIGURE 3. Considering one of the fork units, 40 for instance, the fork is madeup of a pair of straps, having upper sections 46,48, on opposite sides of the link and holding the rivets, diverging, transverse,

shoulder sections 50, 52, and end sections 54, 56, parallel to the upper sections 46, 4-3. The lower sections 54, 56 are adapted for insertion in the trouser legs, at adjacent ends of a pair of cuff portions, to grip the legs along lines between the seams of each, on expansion of the linkage, and in order to improve the frictional grip, as well as to minimize damage to the garment, the sections 54, 56 are provided with sleeves 58, of rubbery material, which may be secured in place tf-rictionally, under tension, or by use of a suitable cement or adhesive.

As stated above, a most efiicient locking action of the linkage is obtained when the control links 116, 18-, pass over center. Due to resiliency, or stretch in the trouser goods, this action is possible over a reasonable range of leg width in the trousers accommodated. In fact, both the holding action and the restorative action on the crease are enhanced by forces incident to stretching the material, and it should be also observed that large forces are engendered by a relatively light force due to the dead weight of the trousers, since the control links, at the end of their expansion movement, provide a toggleaction. In order to provide tor large ranges of trouser leg width, the main links 10, 12 are provided with a series of bores 60 whereby the settings of pivot pins 2%, 22 of the control links may be adjusted.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a hang.- er which is quite simply employed, by inserting the rubber covered forks within the openings at the cuii ends of a pair of trousers, and exerting a manual pull, or lift, on the rod 28 while exerting a slight holding pressure by the finger on angle bracket 36, whereupon the end forks are caused to separate, eventually contacting the trouser legs at the lines of the respective scams. Continued movement of rod 28 causes the forks to exert pressure on the trouser legs from within, to the point of stretching, and severely accenting the crease, as assisted by the toggle action of the linkage, and the system is locked in position as the toggle links pass over center. In this condition, it requires a positive, reverse movement (of the linkage :con-

trol rod to permit collapse of the system, and since the 3 weight of the garment can only serve to augment this locking action, the system is secure against accidental dislodgment during storage. Conversely, if it is desired to remove the garment, a simple downward pressure on rod 28 or the control links 16, 18, will serve to unlock and collapse the system, releasing the garment.

While a certain preferred embodiment has been shown and described, modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention should not, therefore, be deemed as limited, except insofar as shall appear from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A garment hanger of collapsible construction compulsing:

(a) a pair of main links having inner and outer ends; ('17) a pair of control links having ends; 8 (c) the main links being articulated together adjacent their inner ends at a first point of mutual articulation [for relative, swinging movement; I

(d) the control links being articulated together adjacent one pair of their ends at a second point of articulation and with their other ends pivotally mounted to the main links intermediate the respective ends thereof whereby a quadrilateral linkage is provided;

(e) a control rod anchored at the second point of articulation;

(f) an offset extending from the first point of mutual articulation;

(g) the control rod being slidably mounted on the o-ffiset adjacent the first point of mutual articulation;

(h) the control rod having an upper hook portion;

. (i) a stop collar on the control II'Od between said first and second points of articulation limiting motion of the rod;

(j) a fork member carried by the outer end of each of said main links; and (k) a sleeve of resilient material carried by eaoh of said fork members.

2. A garment hanger of collapsilile construction, comprising:

(a) a pair of main links having inner and outer ends; (b) a pair of control links having ends; (c) the main links being articulated together adjacent their inner ends at a first point of mutual articulatio for relative, swinging movement; g (d) the control linlos' being articulated together adjacent one pair of their ends at a second point of articulation and with their other ends pivotally mounted to the main links intermediate the respective ends thereof whereby a quadrilateral linkage is provided; (2) a control rod anchored at the second point of articulation; -(;f) an ofisetextending from the first point of mutual articulation; (g) the control rod being slid ably mounted on the olfeet adjacent thefirst point of mutual articulation; (h) the control rod having an upper hook portion; (i) a stop collar on the control rod between said first and second points of articulation limting motion of the rod; and r v (j) trouser-support means on the outer ends of the main links. 3. A garment hangeras defined in claim 1, and: (a) said main links having a series of perforations formed therein arranged in longitudinally-spaced relation for selective pivoting of the control links.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,111,147 Fodge Sept. 22, 1914 1,682,626 Peckham Aug. 28, 1928 12,168,647 Herman Aug. 8, 1 939 2,259,692 Hegedus Oct. 21, 1941 2,528,788 Rowan Nov. 7, 195.0 2,977,032 Metzner Mar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 153,150 Austria Apr. 11, 1938 

1. A GARMENT HANGER OF COLLAPSIBLE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF MAIN LINKS HAVING INNER AND OUTER ENDS; (B) A PAIR OF CONTROL LINKS HAVING ENDS; (C) THE MAIN LINKS BEING ARTICULATED TOGETHER ADJACENT THEIR INNER ENDS AT A FIRST POINT OF MUTUAL ARTICULATION FOR RELATIVE, SWINGING MOVEMENT; (D) THE CONTROL LINKS BEING ARTICULATED TOGETHER ADJACENT ONE PAIR OF THEIR ENDS AT A SECOND POINT OF ARTICULATION AND WITH THEIR OTHER ENDS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO THE MAIN LINKS INTERMEDIATE THE RESPECTIVE ENDS THEREOF WHEREBY A QUADRILATERAL LINKAGE IS PROVIDED; (E) A CONTROL ROD ANCHORED AT THE SECOND POINT OF ARTICULATION; (F) AN OFFSET EXTENDING FROM THE FIRST POINT OF MUTUAL ARTICULATION; (G) THE CONTROL ROD BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE OFFSET ADJACENT THE FIRST POINT OF MUTUAL ARTICULATION; (H) THE CONTROL ROD HAVING AN UPPER HOOK PORTION; (I) A STOP COLLAR ON THE CONTROL ROD BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POINTS OF ARTICULATION LIMITING MOTION OF THE ROD; (J) A FORK MEMBER CARRIED BY THE OUTER END OF EACH OF SAID MAIN LINKS; AND (K) A SLEEVE OF RESILIENT MATERIAL CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID FORK MEMBERS. 